March 17, 2022
On March 15, the AMA sent a letter to Congressional leadership disputing a recommendation (p. 149) by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) to freeze Medicare physician payment rates for 2023.
MedPAC is an independent congressional agency established by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to advise Congress on issues affecting the Medicare program.
While MedPAC includes in its rationale that they expect “volume and revenue to return to prepandemic levels (or higher) by 2023,” the AMA stresses that this rationale fails to recognize “fiscal uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic, statutory payment cuts, consistent lack of inflationary updates, and significant administrative barriers.”
The AMA also argues that a continued freeze on Medicare payments to physicians is irreconcilable with “the nearly 8% payment increase the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services projects for Medicare Advantage plans in 2023.” The AMA letter goes on to criticize a lack of adequate annual updates to physician payment under Medicare.
The MMA recently met with members of the Minnesota Congressional Delegation to urge their support of adequate Medicare physician payment and will continue to inform membership of federal movement on this issue.
July 10, 2025
With the passage of President Trump’s budget bill, many in healthcare are wondering how it will affect the practice of medicine in the United States, and how it will impact the health of Minnesotans.
July 10, 2025
With an overwhelming 90% vote of support, Allina Health physicians, physicians’ assistants, and nurse practitioners voted to authorize a strike if the members of the Doctors Council – SEIU and Allina cannot reach a deal.
July 10, 2025
The Minnesota Department of Health’s (MDH) Equitable Health Care Task Force is seeking public comment on its draft recommendations for improving health equity across the state.